Soundtrack to Your Life
by SpySkater
Summary: Chad comes to Sharpay's rescue. Originally titled Face Down
1. Face Down

Chad sat in the back, hood up over his curly hair. His face was covered by shadow, giving him a sinister look. His cheerful peers were all roaming around the class before school started, chatting in excitement about the upcoming baseball game. Chad's excitement had come and gone with one simple incident.

His bright brown eyes flashed over to Sharpay Evans and her twin, Ryan. Both were surrounded by the members of the drama club. Sharpay was droning on about something excitedly. Probably raving about her baseball star of a boyfriend, Ronald Collander, or Ronny as Sharpay called him. Chad glared at Ronald who was hovering over her, smiling. He watched with hatred as Sharpay looked up at him lovingly with radiant brown eyes, as he kissed her luscious lips, smudging her lipgloss which she would later reapply. Ronald didn't deserve her, no matter how arrogant, selfish, and stuck up she was.

Ronald and Chad were teammates on the baseball team along with Ryan Evans, the new addition to the team. They'd been friends for quite some time, because of the team. Chad was the captain and the team's pitcher. Ronald played center field and was probably the team's best hitter. Ronald's family lived in the same gated community as the Evans'. His father owned a big telecommunications incorporation. Chad had lost all respect for him the day before.

Sharpay looked away from Ronald at one point, her eyes catching Chad's. She noticed his harsh scowl. She did not flinch, though, knowing it was not meant for her. She returned Chad's look, telling him to back off. It wasn't his business, her love life.

Chad did not soften his piercing stare, though. Keeping his eyes on her handsome, wealthy boyfriend, he completely ignored the perfect blonde. Sharpay turned her attention to Ronald to make Chad angry. She kissed him softly. Chad's lip twitched.

"No PDA's," Ms. Darbus announced as she walked in. Sharpay pulled away from Ronald and got down from the desk she'd been perched on. She relocated to her assigned seat, happy that she was unable to see Chad Danforth behind her, but she still felt his burning gaze.

Troy had been sitting next to Chad, having a long, in depth discussion with his girlfriend, Gabriella. He punched his best friend in the arm. Chad looked at him, expression changing. Troy gave him a questioning look. Chad simply shook it off and gave his easily distractible attention to their eccentric advisory teacher.

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"See you later, hun," Sharpay said before kissing Ronald. School was now over. Sharpay needed to do her homework while Ronald had one last practice for that night's game.

Ronald headed to the field for practice. Sharpay started toward the school exit. The building was practically abandoned, save a few students at their lockers. Many students were preparing for the baseball game.

Sharpay glanced up from her compact mirror, catching sight of a familiar afro of curls. Chad Danforth was leaning against the wall, almost as if he were waiting for something.

"Don't you have practice, Danforth?" Sharpay called, starting to separate the large space between them. Chad looked up at her. His eyes ran over her beautiful face and fell to her torso and stomach. She was wearing a black tank top with the words _Royal Pain_ running across her breasts in gold. Her short leather jacket covered her perfectly tanned arms. Chad was surprised. The jacket was quite edgy for her style. She also wore a skin-tight pair of blue jeans. Chad tried to recall ever seeing Sharpay in jeans. He couldn't.

"I certainly do. I wanted to talk to you," Chad replied. His arms were folded over his chest. Sharpay stopped in front of him.

"About?" she wondered. Chad remained silent, but made eye contact with her. Sharpay rolled her eyes, no longer needing an answer. "I told you yesterday, Danforth, stay out of my love life," she whispered harshly.

"That's _love_. Wow. If that's the case, I hope I never fall," Chad replied, leaning his head forward, to close some of the space between their faces.

"It was a one time thing," Sharpay said, looking at the floor, no longer able to look into his violent eyes.

"One time?" He grabbed her waist and switched their position. "Your make up does an excellent job hiding your cheek, but..." He lifted her tank top slightly, revealing a large, fading bruise on her stomach. "This one is at least week."

"How would you know?" she asked, not denying his hypothesis.

"I've had bruises before, Sharpay," he replied, calling her by her first name. Sharpay took this as a sign of his genuine concern. She never called him by his first name and in return, he never called her by her first name. He hadn't called her Sharpay since sixth grade.

She felt her eyes become teary and a lump form in her throat.

"And if he saw us now, he'd probably hit you again, huh?" Chad asked rhetorically. A hot tear fell from her eye. It felt searing hot against her skin. Chad wiped it away as it reached the center of her cheek, also wiping away some of her make up. A small blue mark appeared where his finger had just rubbed. "This one is from yesterday."

"Chad, you can't tell anyone," Sharpay said as more tears streaked down her cheeks, ruining her mascara. Chad took a moment to think. This was a serious situation. Sharpay was being abused and Chad needed to help, no matter how stuck up she was. Honestly, he liked her in a weird way. There was a strange connection between them, but the two hid it with their constant arguing.

"I want to help," Chad admitted.

"You can't!" Sharpay said in desperation.

"You can't hide this forever and it can't continue."

"I know, Chad, but he... he's so much stronger."

"Not stronger than me," Chad said, hinting at something. Sharpay caught the message and shook her head.

"Chad-"

"I won't tell anyone," Chad said, not giving up his plans. Sharpay nodded gratefully.

"Thank you," she said in a tone almost inaudible.

"Go fix your make up." Sharpay chuckled, wiping her eyes.

"Wow. I must look like a total idiot."

"No," Chad said. She smiled to him before turning and heading to the bathroom. Chad watched over her protectively. "In fact you've never looked more beautiful," he muttered to himself.

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Chad ran to the dugout and took off his catching glove. He lifted his cap off of his forehead and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He grabbed his white with red trimming batting gloves from on top of his duffle bag and pulled them on. He stretched out his fingers in them before pushing the gap between his fingers together. He did this every time the Wildcats were up to bat. It's how he played.

He looked at the scoreboard. The Wildcats were behind by two and it was their last chance. He looked at the batter. Jason was up. He was a pretty good hitter in Chad's opinion. He gripped the gate of their dugout, watching the game intently.

"Come on, Jase!" Chad cheered. He was one of the few team members supporting their teammates. He looked back at the bench, seeing a bunch of the guys huddled in a circle around Ronald. He'd been tuning in and out of the conversation all night. It was all about Sharpay, most of which Chad believed were lies.

"So, you gonna hit a home run?" he heard one of the guys say. Finally, baseball talk. But wait, Ronald had made plenty of homeruns. What were they discussing?

"Yeah. Tonight's the night. You know, after the after party at Zeke's, I'll take her to my place and-" Chad stopped listening then. How dare he talk about Sharpay like that? How dare he treat her like a punching bag and expect her to give up a part of her?

"Danforth! You're up," the coach shouted. Chad left the dugout, grabbing a baseball bat on the way out. He twirled it with ease.

"Number eight, captain of the East High Wildcats, Chad Danforth up to bat," the announcer called. The crowd cheered exuberantly. This was where Chad shined. In basketball, Troy got the glory, but right now, it was Chad's time. But tonight, everyone was shut out of his mind.

He bent his knees, lifting the bat. He ignored the catcher's snide comments about him. Ronald's words rang in his ears. His eyes were locked on the pitcher, but he didn't seem to exist.

"Go Chad!" he heard Troy, Gabriella, and Taylor cry from the stands. He let out a deep breath.

"Strike one," he heard as he swung. He sighed, closing his eyes. _Pull it together_, he thought to himself. He opened his eyes, setting up for the next pitch.

"Strike two!" the umpire called. Chad groaned. He was too hard on himself and it was throwing him off. He heard Ronald's voice ring in his ears again. He threw the bat aside and paced back to the dugout angrily.

"Danforth, what are you-" Chad ignored the rest of the sentence. He pushed his way through Ronald's gathered audience.

"Chad, what the he-" Ronald began, but didn't finish. Chad grabbed a hold of his neat, yet slightly dirty uniform. He slammed him into the gate and took a moment to think things through. He needed a way to make no girl ever want to date him. But this guy was unnaturally attractive. He needed to be ugly like his personality.

Chad swung a clenched fist at Ronald's jaw. His head jerked to the side, the profile of his face hitting the gate. The whole team was on their feet, but only Jason, Zeke, Ryan, and Chucky dared to separate the players. But only after Chad got a few good hits in.

Along with Jason and Zeke, Troy dragged his best friend out of the dugout away from Ronald. He had run from the stands to encourage Chad to swing once more only to find him swinging at something else.

"Cool it, man!" Troy said to a fuming Chad. Chad's eyes were stuck on his enemy. Ronald was attempting to break out of Chucky and Ryan's clutches. He finally succeeded in his mission and charged Chad, tackling him to the ground.

In the crowd, Gabriella, Taylor, and Sharpay all gasped at the fight in front of them. Sharpay's eyes widened as the two males rolled around in the dirt, punching, kicking, grabbing. Gabriella and Taylor looked at Sharpay and then at Chad. There had to be something they were missing. There were only two things these two boys had in common: baseball and Sharpay.

Troy, Ryan, and the coach managed to separate the two. The two fought the clutches of their captors, but still the coach stood between them.

"What's this about, Danforth?!" Ronald yelled, blood shooting from his mouth.

"Karma sucks, huh?" Chad shouted back. He caught sight of Ronald's eyes flickering to Sharpay before they returned to him.

"You're out of the game, boys!" the couch shouted.

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Chad rounded the corner heading behind the bleachers. He took a step back, seeing Sharpay and Ronald. He only heard a few words of the conversation. He mostly studied their body language. He could only see Sharpay's face and she looked scared, her eyes filled with tears.

"I didn't tell him!" Sharpay urged. Chad crept up behind them.

"Then how did he find out, Shar?!" Ronald shouted at her. She backed away out of terror. "Huh?!"

"I don't know!" she lied. She cowered as he lifted his arm. Chad grabbed his arm and pulled it back. He twisted his arm and pulled it behind Ronald's back.

"I suggest you back off," Chad said in a low, threatening voice.

"Or what?"

"Daddy can't help you if I tell the cops that you've been abusing Sharpay. You will go to jail. But if you stay away from Sharpay, I'll just say me and you had a fallout. No harm, no foul."

"It's Sharpay's decision if she wants to be with me or not." Chad looked at Sharpay who stood a couple yards away.

"Shar?" Chad said. Shar looked back and forth between the two boys. She hesitated in answering. "Shar?" Chad repeated. There was care in his voice, a hint of love even.

"I don't want to be with you, Ronald," she admitted, taking another step back out of fright of what the outcome would be. Chad held Ronald tightly.

"You selfish, ungrateful-"

"Don't be petty about it," Chad said. "Walk away." He tossed him aside, going to Sharpay. He stood in front of her protectively. Ronald looked at the two of them. He laughed at his crazy realization.

"Wow. Wow. I can't believe I didn't see it," Ronald said. Chad and Sharpay looked at each other with confusion. Chad looked back at Ronald.

"What are you talking about?" Chad asked.

"The two of you. Of course. The constant arguing and now you're suddenly protecting her. You two love each other."

Sharpay looked at Chad with a look of disbelief and then looked at Ronald with a sneer.

"Eww! Not if the human race depended on it!" Sharpay said, coming back into her normal self. Chad rolled his eyes.

"Gee, thanks," Chad said, looking back at her.

"No offense, Danforth."

"There you go again. I just assume and you try to cover it up again. You know what? I'll just leave you two to your secret pleasures. Sharpay's too much of a hassle to fight for," Ronald said, turning to leave. Chad glared at his back as he left.

"Thanks," Sharpay said in a low voice when Ronald was finally gone. Chad turned to face her. She looked quite insecure, her leather clad arms covering her chest, eyes focused on the ground. Chad lifted her chin tenderly.

"It's okay. No one deserves such abuse." She nodded in agreement.

"Well, I better get going."

"Not coming to the after party."

"We didn't win," she noted. Chad heard the crowd cheer. He looked up through the bleachers at the Wildcat supporters.

"I beg to differ," he said. She chuckled.

"I don't know," Sharpay said.

"Would you go," Chad stuffed his hands deep in his pockets, eyes on the ground, "as my date?" Sharpay quirked an eyebrow.

"As your date?" Sharpay repeated. Chad looked up at her, making eye contact.

"Well... yeah. I mean, it's not like a girlfriend-boyfriend type thing. It would just be like an acquaintance thing. Or if you wanted it to be like a date date-" Sharpay placed a finger on his lips to shush him. A smile of amusement passed over her face.

"I will go as your date, Chad."

"Really?"

"Really. Just stop ranting."


	2. Bittersweet Symphony

Sharpay poked through his curls and tapped his ear. His head jerked to the right then moved back. She smiled, doing it again. He chuckled.

"Stop. Do your work," Chad said, focusing on his physics book.

"I'm done," Sharpay said, poking her pencil at him again. Chad sighed, turning onto his back. Her book flew to the other side of her large bed. Sharpay's body lifted from his as he turned, but she landed back on him with quite a force. Chad let out all of the air in his lungs when she did. "Nice one," she remarked. Chad regained his breath, chest heaving. Sharpay enjoyed the feeling.

"Gee, thanks," he said after some air returned to him. He placed a hand on her back and the other behind his head. Sharpay placed her hands one on top of the other, then rested her chin on them. The two made eye contact which wasn't unusual. Chad loved to stare into her radiant brown eyes. He'd discovered the doorway to her emotions and she'd given him the key voluntarily.

This friendly relationship had started the night of the baseball game. He'd made her feel comfortable in her own skin again. She was free to behave as she pleased, do as she wanted without being hit. Even though Ronald had been in the same house, Chad's protective aura created a shield around her. After a month, here they lay, studying for finals.

"So, what now?" she asked. Chad took a moment to think, his eyes relocating to the ceiling. Sharpay watched him intently. Her fingers began to toy with the red lettering on his black t-shirt instinctively. Her eyes travelled from the depths of his brown eyes, which were a few shades darker than her own, to his succulent lips. He was unbelievably attractive and she was starting to understand why all the girls chased after him. What girl wouldn't want to run their finger through his tight curls? She got to do it on a regular basis.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Famished," she replied.

"We could go eat," he suggested. She nodded her agreement.

"Just let me change." She brushed her lips against his in a "friendly" manner before getting off of him. She went into her drawers and closet before going into her massive bathroom. Chas sat up and turned to close his large textbook. He got off of the bed and slipped on his brand new red and black Jordan's. He was starting to dress in a similar style of Sharpay… well, the matching and accenting part at least. His shoes went with his shirt. He pulled on his red letterman's jacket and grabbed his keys from the pocket.

Sharpay returned a few minutes later.

"Ready?" he asked, looking at her. Her bruises were now gone and she was unafraid to show off some skin. Her leather pink skirt showed this, but this wasn't the most revealing thing he'd seen her in. Her white shirt and pink boots matched. Chad could've sworn he'd seen her in this outfit before.

"Let's go," she said, pushing herself off of the door frame. Chad headed out of the room.

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"So, what play would you come see out of your own desire to?" Sharpay questioned before taking a sip of her chocolate shake. Chad finished the bite of his cheeseburger before answering.

"Cruel Intentions," he admitted. "If you played Katharine." Sharpay's eyes widened and she chuckled.

"Are you serious? There is so much sex. Why am I surprised? It's you," she said. He laughed, grabbing a French fry. "If I played Katharine? Why me?"

"It fits you."

"Does not! I'm not that sexual."

"Not _that_ sexual? How sexual are you?" He hadn't expected such words to escape her lips.

"Just not that sexual," she said discreetly, taking a sip of her shake.

"Wow, scared of that. I sorta wanna see it." Sharpay laughed softly.

"You never will."

"Why?"

"You're not in that type of intimate relationship with me," she answered seriously, making eye contact. They sat there for a moment, gazing into the doorway of the other's soul.

"So, we're in an intimate relationship?" Chad wondered.

"Yes. Just not that type."

**OOC: This was just a chapter to set up their relationship. I've decided to make this a story made up of oneshots**


	3. What's This?

"My turn to choose," Chad said, looking over his DVD collection.

"No, it's not," Sharpay replied.

"Yeah, it is, Shar. You chose last week and the movie was God awful." Chad slid a few DVD cases from their shelves before putting them back in their places.

Today was Friday, meaning it was movie night for Sharpay and Chad. This had been going on for the past two months. Every week, they'd switch of choosing a movie. Last week, Sharpay had chosen Legally Blonde: the Musical.

"It was not horrible," Sharpay defended, looking away from her fresh manicure. Chad looked back at her.

"Please. Legally Blonde, the real movie, was so much better. Plus, it had Reese Witherspoon and Ali Larter. Not to mention Luke Wilson who is hysterical," Chad commented before turning back to his many DVDs.

"Wow. You enjoyed Legally Blonde?" Sharpay asked, shocked at this recent admittance. Chad chuckled.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Shar."

Sharpay smiled discreetly at her nickname. He'd called her that for the last week and it had easily rolled off his tongue since. She was unused to anyone identifying her by this name except her brother and even Ryan rarely called her Shar. Her parents always called her Princess. She would actually be okay if Chad was the only person to call her Shar.

"Your movies are so… organized," Sharpay said, noticing how they were arranged. The top shelf was only Disney movies. Beneath this top row was 20th Century Fox movies, then Warner Brothers and Lions Gate. Beneath that row were Universal Studios, Paramount, TriStar, and other companies.

"Thanks. I wanted to arrange them by distributor. Much cooler and original," Chad said, still trying to find a movie. His eyes spotted a nice box, much bigger than the rest. It was a deluxe DVD. He had quite a few. He hated DVDs with only the feature film. He was always willing to spend extra money for the special edition. "Ever seen _Nightmare Before Christmas_?" he asked her. He glanced back at her, tips of his fingers on top of it, prepared to take it from its proper place.

Sharpay shook her head.

"No. Never even heard of it," she answered. Chad's eyes widened in shock.

"You're kidding. You've never seen _Nightmare Before Christmas_? It's only the most awesome, most brilliant, best musical ever! We're watching it."

"I'm not sure I want to watch anything with the word 'nightmare' in it."

Chad pulled out the case and placed it under his arm.

"Shar, you'll love it."

"Cha-"

"No buts, Shar. You'll love it. Promise."

"And if I don't?"

"You get to choose two movies in a row," Chad negotiated.

"And?" Sharpay insisted. Chad sighed.

"I'll be your slave."

"School included?"

"School included."

"Deal."

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Sharpay had spent the last hour and a half or so cuddled up to Chad, watching what he called the "most awesome, most brilliant, best musical ever!" They had gone to her house simply because Chad preferred her theater. Who wouldn't? It was down in the basement which wasn't like normal basements. Instead of being eternally cold as snow down there, it was nicely heated, so they wouldn't freeze (Sharpay and Chad often fell asleep down here). The couches and recliners were beyond comfortable, able to induce sleep if caffeine has not been ingested. There was a small kitchen just in case Sharpay and Ryan ever had the interest to cook. If it wasn't for Chad, the oven and microwave would have never been used.

Sharpay's head rested on Chad's chest as they watched. This had definitely been entertaining to her. Never had she and Ryan broken out into song during a musical as much as Chad did to this. He knew every lyric to every song. Sharpay found it more amusing than annoying. Chad made it adorable, especially during _What's This_ when he was the most energetic. Sharpay had barely been able to focus on the screen.

"So?" he asked once it was over. He had a huge grin on his face when Sharpay looked at him. It was infectious she had discovered.

"I must agree. It is very brilliant, combining Halloween and Christmas, two of the biggest holidays ever. I loved the music as well. You are quite the singer. Ever thought of auditioning for a musical?"

"Ha ha. You are hilarious." Sharpay chuckled, which caused Chad's smile to grow.

"But seriously, you can sing," Sharpay complimented.

"Everyone can sing. Some people just have the ability to sing well," Chad differentiated.

"Fine. You sing very well, Chad Danforth."

"Why, thank you, Sharpay Evans."


	4. Phantom of the Opera

Thanksgiving. Chad's third favorite holiday (Christmas and Easter came first), had finally arrived. He loved being able to spend time with his mom's family and he loved to eat. It was perfect. Chad spent every other Thanksgiving with his mother. She lived across town from him, about ten minutes away, near Sharpay and Ryan. To the Evans twins, they loved that they got to spend time with their father and mother. This Thanksgiving was different, though. Mr. and Mrs. Evans were on their way home from a "business trip," but were caught in air traffic. That meant waiting for them to arrive before the festivities began.

Chad called Sharpay. He was making his rounds as he liked to call them. This meant he was calling all of his friends to say happy holidays. He had saved Sharpay and Ryan for last. He knew his conversation would last longer with Miss Evans. He anticipated it.

"Hello?" Sharpay answered with a sigh. She was upset that her parents would be late. She and Ryan rarely spent time with them. This meant even less time with them.

"Shar? What's the problem?" he asked, recognizing that sigh. Sharpay chuckled, hearing his voice. Why hadn't she foreseen him calling? He called everyday and he hadn't so far. Plus, it was a holiday.

"Nothing," she said. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"That was not your nothing sigh. And right back at you," Chad said. He leaned against the house, watching his uncles and cousins play with a basketball. They were trying to get a game going, but everyone knew you couldn't start one without Chad Danforth.

Sharpay sighed. God, he knew her too well.

"My parents. Probably won't be home until midnight, meaning missing Thanksgiving," she admitted sadly. Chad empathized. He'd never had that happen, but he could guess how it felt.

"That's horrible," he said. He paused, thinking of something else to say. "That's horrible," was so cliché. He needed something better. "Would you like to spend Thanksgiving here? You and Ryan?" That would work. He wasn't too far from them. They could drive here with no problem. He knew his mom wouldn't mind. She was a very open, inviting person, not one to push people out without good reason.

"Are you sure that would be okay?" Sharpay said, uncertain. Although her personality called for it, she was not an intrusive person… well, not on peoples' home. Peoples' personal lives was a different story.

"Of course. I'm like ten minutes away at my mom's house," Chad said. Sharpay paused. She hadn't known that his parents were divorced. She had been to his house, but had never noticed that his mom was not there. Not even pictures. In Chad's room, yes, but nowhere else. Wow, she really needed to pay attention more.

"Sure. I'll tell Ryan to get ready. What's the address?" she asked.

"I'll text it to you," he said. "Much easier."

"Alright. I'll see you soon." Sharpay hung up and Chad smiled, shoving his phone in his pocket. He ran into the kitchen. The kitchen was filled with women, mainly his aunts. All of them were working, cooking up a storm. Chad's mother had a large family. She was one of seven children. She was the fourth child, making her the middle child. There were four girls and three boys. This meant Chad had many cousins. Some of the older girls were helping their mothers cook and bake.

Chad found Angel, his mother, by the stove, boiling more water for the spaghetti. He walked over to her, moving through the crowd of women. He grabbed his mother's shoulders gently and kissed her cheek.

"Mom, you don't mind if we have extra guests, do you?" he asked, looking at the noodles she was placing in the pot. She looked back at him. Chad had inherited her bright brown eyes and curly hair. She was a beautiful woman who didn't seem to age at all.

"What do we mean by extra?" she asked, smirking, figuring that her son was up to no good.

"Two of my friends. Their parents won't be home until midnight," Chad explained with a smile, knowing what his mother was thinking. Angel looked back at the pot.

"There's no problem with that," she said.

"Thanks, mom."

"It's no big deal. Now go play basketball with the boys." Angel still called her brothers "boys." Chad nodded and headed back outside.

"Chad, you're on my team!" Uncle Rico called. Uncle Rico was the oldest of the Marino family. He also had the most children. Six boys, the oldest being twenty-two, the youngest being twelve. Chad liked all six, but was closest to the oldest three boys, considering the youngest of those three was sixteen.

Reggie, Rico's oldest son, threw Chad the ball. Chad caught it before placing it tightly between his feet on the floor. He pulled off his Hollister shirt, not wanting to dirty it up or get it sweaty. He placed it on a table in front of his youngest cousins. He picked the ball back up.

"Show off," Gabriel said, passing by him. Chad laughed. Gabriel was Reggie's younger brother who was a few years older than Chad.

"What are the teams?" Chad asked, dribbling the ball.

"Me, you, Reggie, Gallo, and Gabriel versus Uncle Jean, Horatio, Marcell, Paolo, and Marco," Uncle Rico answered. Chad looked at all of the men playing who were scattered around. The back yard wasn't huge. It was perfectly rectangular. The patio took up one-fourth of the backyard. Grass surrounded the cement area which was a "basketball court" for Chad.

Chad held the ball and spun it between two fingers.

"Alright. Let's go," Chad said, passing the ball to Gallo. He ran from under the patio, getting into the game. He crouched into a defensive position, the best way he knew how to play. Gallo passed the ball back to Chad who tossed it up. He backed up, watching the ball fall into the hoop. "Chad 1, everyone else 0." Reggie laughed, giving his cousin a high five. This was only the beginning.

* * *

Sharpay and Ryan arrived in the middle of the game. The twins were greeted by Chad's older female cousins, Rachele and Jemma. They had been in the living room, gossiping which is what they did every family gathering. They were both nineteen year-old college students and had always been closest of the Marino cousins. They were the same age, born in the same month, in the same week. They were practically twins, so being apart meant sharing every juicy detail there was to tell when they were together.

Rachele was the one to open the door, Jemma standing behind her. Rachele gave a friendly smile. Angel had warned all of the women of the arrival of Chad's friends.

"Hi, you must be Chad's friends," Rachele said. Sharpay smiled nervously. For once, her brother was more comfortable and confident than she was. The Marino family all looked very similar to one another except Chad. They all had olive skin and dark eyes. The girls had long black hair, though if it was straight, wavy, or curly depended on the parents. The boys all had curly hair. Not to the point of Chad's, but curly nonetheless.

"Yes. I'm Ryan. This is my sister, Sharpay," Ryan said, noticing that his sister was not responding as she usually would. Rachele and Jemma's eyes went to Sharpay. A bit of mischief sparkled in their eyes. Sharpay recognized it. Chad got that same look at times.

"Oh, so you're Sharpay?" Jemma said, implying something. Chad had obviously mentioned her. Was that a good thing?

"Yes," Sharpay said, hiding her nerves.

"It's nice to meet you," Rachele said. "Come in." The girls stepped to the side to allow the Evans twins in. Sharpay and Ryan walked in, immediately feeling the warmth of the house. It was very unlike their mansion. The mansion was very large, cold, and lonely, no matter how high you turned up the heat, no matter how many people were there. Here, it was warm and comfy. It wasn't large, but it wasn't small either. And it was very open, which the twins liked. Sharpay had never imagined herself living anywhere except in a mansion (and possibly a dorm or condo), but she liked the arrangement of this house. It felt more like a home.

Rachele and Jemma led them through the back of the living room through a doorway. They stopped between the dining room and kitchen. There was no line of separation between them, but the dining room was much larger. The kitchen was very small, about the size of one you'd find in an apartment. There was barely room to move. You could turn and walk down the small aisle way which was only about three feet in width.

Sharpay and Ryan turned toward the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. There had to be at least seven women stuffed in the aisle way. Rachele cleared her throat for the women to hear. The women all stopped and gave them their full attention.

"These are Chad's friends, Sharpay and Ryan," Jemma introduced. Angel moved up front so she was closer to the guests. She held out her hand to them. Ryan took it first and shook it and then Sharpay.

"Hello. I'm Angel, Chad's mother." Sharpay smiled.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Sharpay said.

"You, too, dear. Chad has said quite a bit about you," Angel admitted. "But don't tell him I told you that." Sharpay chuckled.

"Chad's out back," Fiora, Chad's younger cousin, said. Sharpay and Ryan nodded and went through the glass slide door to the backyard. The women all watched in silence and waited for the door to click close.

"I must admit, she's gorgeous," Rachele acknowledged. Rachele was known to be very vain, just like Chad, only more so. It was where Chad had learned it.

"She really is," Aunt Felicia agreed.

"Gorgeous smile, beautiful hair, wonderful skin. Her brown eyes are marvelous to look at. Breathtaking figure," Aunt Leona piped in.

"And from what Chad's said, she's very much like his mother," Angel said proudly.

"What? You mean demanding?" her sister, Lauretta, teased. The women all laughed as Angel playfully slapped her sister's shoulder as she moved back to the stove.

"Get back to work."

"See what I mean?"

* * *

Chad was already sweating up a storm and had pulled up his hair to keep it out of his face. He stared at Marcell who was blocking him from the rest of the court. Chad continued to dribble, digging his shoulder into his cousin's chest. Marcell wasn't backing down, though. Chad looked around for a teammate. All that could be heard was the shouting of men and the squeaking of sneakers.

"Box out, box out!" Chad heard said by one of his cousins. He searched for an outlet.

"Chad!" Gabriel shouted. That was from behind him. Chad pushed the ball by Marcell's right leg, causing his younger cousin to turn around. Reggie grabbed the ball and Chad ran from behind his cousin. Gabriel calling for Chad meant the Reggie was on the opposite side, free to get the ball. Chad ran to the right side of the court, avoiding his Uncle Jean. He began running to the basket; Reggie passed him the ball. Chad caught it under the net and instantly jumped, tossing up the ball for a layup. He turned in the air when the ball was out of his hand and watched as it fell.

"10, 7. We're up," Chad said, out of breath. A half an hour and the teams had barely scratched the surface when it came to points. The games in the Marino family were intense and it was hard to get a shot in. Reggie slapped Chad in the chest with the back of his hand.

"Your friends are here," Reggie told him. Chad turned to Sharpay and Ryan and smiled. Reggie watched him. "Uh-oh. I know that smile."

"What are you talking about?" Chad asked.

"That's the Marino love smile. It's a bit different, probably a hint of your father, but I recognize it. The "You've been running through my mind all day and seeing you makes me want to keep you with me forever" smile." Chad looked at Reggie as if he had lost his sanity.

"I don't like Sharpay like that. She's Sharpay," he said.

"A'ight. Whatever. But I see it now. You and her in the park with three kids running around." Chad laughed and punched Reggie in the arm before running over to the twins.

"Glad you guys could come," Chad said genuinely. He looked at Ryan and then Sharpay.

"Thanks for inviting us," Ryan said. Sharpay nodded. Paolo and Gabriel ran over and wrapped their arms around their cousin, hanging off of him.

"Gonna introduce us to your friends?" Paolo said. Chad could already foresee them flirting with Sharpay to tease their younger cousin. But at the same time, if Chad wasn't going for her, might as well. She was absolutely beautiful.

"Yeah. Sharpay, Ryan, these are my cousins, Paolo and Gabriel. And while I'm at it, the two grown men playing basketball are my uncles, Rico and Jean-Dominic. My Uncle Lorenzo is inside. The three small children at the table are Leah, Belinda, and Federico," Chad pointed to the table on the patio. "Reggie is my oldest cousin over there. The younger ones are Marcell, Gallo, Horatio, and Marco.

"The older girls inside are Rachele and Jemma. They were probably on the couch when you came in. Fiora and Kamalia are the preteens in the kitchen. My aunts, Felicia, Leona, and Lauretta. And then there's my mother, Angel. The woman with the really curly hair like mine. I doubt you'll remember them all."

"We can try," Sharpay said. Ryan chuckled.

"So, we gonna continue the game?" Paolo asked. Chad looked at Sharpay and then at his cousins.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna take a breather," Chad answered. Sharpay watched them intently, mainly Chad. She was avoiding the fact that he was shirtless. It was the first time she could actually see his muscles and how they moved. She had felt them plenty of times, but seeing them was a different story. The lines that outlined them were well defined, deep. Frankly, he was cut.

"Alright. Ryan, you want to replace him?" Gabriel asked. The Marinos wanted them to feel at home, so that meant including them in family activities. Ryan looked at Chad and then Gabriel.

"Sure. I've got a little game," Ryan said with a shrug. Chad had taught him the basics and a bit more. He could breeze through the game at least.

"Alright," Gabriel said. "You're on my team. Come on." Paolo, Gabriel, and Ryan walked over to the other men and Chad stepped closer to Sharpay and grabbed his shirt from the table.

"Come on," he said, leading her to a table away from the small children. He pulled out a chair for her before sitting in his own seat. He sat his shirt in front of them on the table. She looked at it, then at him.

"The one I got you for your birthday?" she said. He nodded.

"Didn't want to get it sweaty," Chad said, slouching slightly in his seat, legs stretching farther apart. She moved her seat closer to him.

"Good." Chad nodded, looking over her outfit. She was actually wearing a pair of jeans. It'd been quite chilly recently with winter just beginning. She wore a hot pink shirt with a white cut off jacket over it.

"Jeans I got you?" he asked, recognizing the design running down the side of the left leg. She nodded.

"They're comfortable," she said.

"I know a good pair of jeans when I see 'em," he bragged playfully, Sharpay laughed. She knew he was joking. It was such a stupid thing to brag about.

"Thanks for inviting us," Sharpay said once their laughter had almost subsided. Chad shrugged.

"No big deal. I missed you." She chuckled, looking at him.

"You just saw me two days ago." He made eye contact with her.

"I know."

There was no verbal response that Sharpay could make. She stared at him, his eyes, train of thought completely stopped.

"Chad! Did you check your lasagna?!" his mother called from the kitchen. Chad's eyes widened, breaking the dreamy stare he and Sharpay and been in. He quickly got up and ran to the kitchen. Sharpay laughed and got up to follow him.

Chad hurried through the crowded kitchen of women. He opened the oven and let out a breath of relief.

"It's cool," he announced. He grabbed an oven mitt and took the lasagna from the oven. Its aroma blended with that of the rest of the food. Sharpay watched him intently, an eyebrow quirked the whole time with curiosity.

Chad took off his mitt; his mother put an arm on his shoulder, looking over the lasagna.

"Looks good," she said before kissing him on the cheek. He nodded.

"Thanks, mom," he said, leaving the kitchen. He stopped in front of Sharpay at the edge of the kitchen. "What?" he asked, noticing her expression.

"You make fun of Zeke for baking," she stated.

"Cooking is a necessary part of life. I gotta eat food. I don't need to bake."

"Uh-huh, whatever."

"Oh, come on. Would you rather a guy who can bake you a few cookies, brownies, a cook? Or a guy who can make a three course meal?"

"A three course meal," Sharpay answered. Chad smirked, getting the answer he wanted.

"Exactly." He walked past her to the dining room, knowing dinner would be ready soon. Sharpay sat next to him and he reflexively put his arm around her, resting it on the back of her seat. Soon after, Angel's voice rang around the house.

"Dinner!" she called and all activity stopped. The women began placing plates of food on the dining room table with Chad's help and the men and children entered the room and took their seats. Ryan sat on the other side of his sister,

"Chad, put on a shirt," Angel ordered, placing the turkey at the center of the table. Chad looked down at his chest.

"I was wondering why it was so cold," he said, getting up from his seat. He walked out to the patio and picked up his shirt from the table. He pulled it on, walking inside. "Sorry." He sat down at the table with the rest of his family.

"Rico, say grace," Angel demanded, grabbing her sisters' hands that sat on either side of her. Chad took Sharpay's hand and his Aunt Leona's. They all bowed their heads. Sharpay and Ryan caught the drift and, giving each other uncomfortable looks, bowed their heads as well. They all heard Rico sigh before beginning.

"Dear God, we thank you for bringing us all here together once more. We pray that you bless us and let this food nourish our body and in your name we pray. Amen," Rico said a bit awkwardly. The family said "Amen" before releasing hands and raising their heads.

The dinner went quite splendidly in Chad and Sharpay's opinion. It was a joyous occasion filled with laughter and smiles. Sharpay was sure she'd never seen the basketball boy next to her smile so much or laugh so hard, not even with Troy or while playing basketball. It was exhilarating being with this family who loved each other so much. She and Ryan were not used to such close family ties and, here, they felt like they were a part of the family. Angel treated Sharpay warmly, almost like a daughter.

She learned that night that Chad knew more about musical theater than he let on because of his mother. He had seen _Phantom of the Opera_ more than two times, had seen _Rent_ on Broadway, and a few other shows Sharpay couldn't even say she had seen. Chad even serenaded her with _All I Ask Of You_ because she and his cousin Rachele had requested it. When she received the call from her parents, Sharpay was disappointed she had to leave. This family allowed her to feel liberated, like herself. It was nice to be somewhere warm.

"Thank you for letting us stay," Sharpay said as she and Ryan prepared to leave.

"It's no trouble," Angel said, come any time." She gestured for Chad to walk them out and he obeyed.

"Have fun?" he asked as Ryan got into the convertible. Sharpay leaned against her door.

"Yeah. Your family's great," Sharpay answered. He laughed.

"Um, yeah." The two chuckled. "I'll see you on Monday." She nodded.

"Good night," she said, pushing off of her car and opening her door. She got in and Chad closed it. "In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came, that voice that calls to me and speaks my name," she sang, testing his knowledge.

"And do I dream again for now I find The Phantom of the Opera is there inside my mind," Chad finished to amuse her. "Sing once again with me our strange duet."

Sharpay giggled.

"I have to go. Maybe another time." Chad backed away from her car.

"Night," he said with a small wave.

"Night."


End file.
